Alejandro Rioja.
Marketing SEO

How to Download Instagram Photos and Videos

Alejandro Rioja
Alejandro Rioja
6 min read
TL;DR

Use Instagram's official 'Download Your Information' tool for your own content. Third-party downloader sites work but many are adware-ridden or sketchy — use with caution and always respect copyright before downloading someone else's content.

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1. Official: Download your own Instagram archive

This is the safest and most reliable method for downloading your own photos, videos, Reels, and Stories. Instagram provides a full data export directly.

On the app (iOS or Android):

  1. Go to your profile
  2. Tap the three horizontal bars (top right) → Settings and privacy
  3. Tap Your activity → Download your information
  4. Select the types of content you want (photos, videos, etc.)
  5. Choose a date range and file format (JSON or HTML)
  6. Tap Submit request — Instagram will email you a download link within a few hours (usually under 48 hours)

On browser:

  1. Go to instagram.com and sign in
  2. Navigate to Settings → Meta Accounts Center → Your information and permissions → Download your information
  3. Follow the same request flow as above

The archive includes photos, videos, Stories, Reels, captions, comments, and more. This is the official, zero-risk path for content you posted yourself.

2. Screenshot or screen-record (works on anything)

Sometimes you just need a quick save — a meme to forward to a friend, or a frame from a video.

Screenshot on Mac:

  1. Go to the post in a browser
  2. Press Shift+Cmd+4, drag to select the image area, release
  3. The screenshot saves to your Desktop by default

Screen-record on iPhone (for videos/Reels):

  1. Add Screen Recording to your Control Center (Settings → Control Center)
  2. Open the Reel or video you want to capture
  3. Swipe to open Control Center, tap the record button
  4. Play the video, then stop recording when done
  5. The video saves to your Camera Roll

Screenshot on iPhone/iPad: Apple’s screenshot guide

Screenshot on Android: Google’s screenshot guide

You can crop afterward to remove the browser chrome or app UI.

3. Third-party downloader sites — proceed with caution

I want to be direct here: many third-party Instagram downloader sites in 2026 are sketchy. Common issues include:

That said, some sites do work cleanly. The workflow is:

  1. Go to the Instagram post on the app or browser
  2. Copy the post URL (three-dot menu → Copy link on mobile; just copy from the browser address bar on desktop)
  3. Paste the URL into the downloader site
  4. Download the file

Sites that have generally worked without too much junk (verify before use — these can change):

I used to list several specific sites here. I’ve pulled most of them because their quality degrades over time and I can’t vouch for what they look like by the time you read this. If you use one, run it in a private/incognito window and don’t install any extensions it asks for.

Important: Only download content you have permission to use. Downloading a public post does not grant you any rights to republish or redistribute it.

4. Inspect element (for the technically inclined)

Instagram’s web player loads the actual image/video file in the page source. You can extract the direct URL this way:

  1. Go to the post in Chrome or another desktop browser
  2. Right-click on the page → Inspect (or Cmd+Option+J on Mac)
  3. Go to the Elements tab
  4. Use Ctrl+F / Cmd+F to search for og:image or .jpg
  5. Find a URL that looks like a CDN image link
  6. Open that URL in a new tab
  7. Right-click the image → Save Image As…

Note: Instagram frequently changes its page structure and class names, so this method may break between visits. It works best for static images. Videos are harder to extract this way.

5. Bookmark posts for later viewing (no download needed)

If you just want to revisit content later without downloading it:

  1. Go to the post
  2. Tap the bookmark icon at the bottom right of the post
  3. Optionally tap Save to Collection to organize bookmarks

To access saved posts:

  1. Go to your profile
  2. Tap the three horizontal bars → Saved
  3. Browse by collection

This works for photos, videos, and Reels. Content stays available as long as the original poster doesn’t delete it.

Bottom line

For your own content, use Instagram’s official archive export — it’s the most reliable, includes everything, and carries no risk. For quick saves, screenshot or screen-record is fast and always works. For others’ content, get permission first, and if you use a third-party tool, go in with eyes open about the ad/malware risk and don’t install anything extra it suggests.

Downloading Instagram Content — 2026 FAQ

Downloading content you don’t own may violate Instagram’s Terms of Service and the original creator’s copyright, even if the post is public. Personal use for content you own is generally fine. Republishing someone else’s content without permission is a different matter — don’t do it.

Do third-party downloader sites still work in 2026?

Some still work, but the landscape is worse than a few years ago. Many have been sold and monetized aggressively with ads or malware. Always use a private/incognito window, never install browser extensions these sites suggest, and verify the site’s reputation before trusting it.

Can I download Instagram Reels?

Yes. Instagram’s own archive export includes Reels you posted. Screen-recording is the most reliable method for Reels posted by others. Some third-party tools claim to download Reels — they work inconsistently because Instagram regularly blocks their access.

What’s the safest way to save Instagram content?

For your own posts: the official Download Your Information export. For others’ public content you have permission to save: screenshot or screen-record. These methods don’t involve third-party sites and carry no security risk.

Related reading:

The shorter version

If you’re reading this because the workflow it describes is eating your week, that’s the kind of loop I build AI agents for. Two build slots open at a time.

Updated for May 2026

The 2026 Instagram reality: Reels are the discovery primitive, Stories carry retention, Feed is for credentialing. The “hidden likes” toggle is still in account settings (Privacy → Posts) — Meta has kept it. Verification flipped to the Meta Verified subscription in early 2024 (~$14.99/mo on iOS/Android in the US), so any post still saying “free blue tick” is outdated.

The contact-Instagram-support flow is markedly better now: in-app Help → Report a problem routes most issues to a real human within ~48h for Meta Verified accounts. ~2.4B MAU as of Meta’s Q4 2025 disclosure. If you’re trying to grow in 2026, the share of organic reach coming from Reels vs. Feed is roughly:

Reels
~78%
Feed
~14%
Stories
~8%

Directional, based on creator-tool analytics published by Later + Buffer in late 2025. Optimize accordingly.

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